Do not copy!

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Let’s face it - being a mom is challenging. Each day you are going above the call of duty by being not only a mother, but also a wife, a teacher, a referee, a handy man, a comforter and more. But most importantly, you are always a mother and going through the journey is sometimes arduous but inspiring. Aquafresh is committed to lending moms a hand by supplying them with products, such as the amazing iso-active Whitening toothpaste, that achieves 33% better whitening compared to a non-whitening toothpaste. Now it’s your turn to share what makes you work beyond as Aquafresh wants to hear about these moments and celebrate you as mom through their Mom Goes Beyond campaign.

To participate in this movement, leave a comment about an inspiring or memorable moment you’ve endured by being a mom and you could have a chance to win various prize including a $50 Walmart gift card!* By June 9th, I will randomly nominate someone to become the grand prize winner who will receive one year’s worth of free Aquafresh product and a $500 Walmart shopping spree** and the honor of having her story showcased on the Aquafresh Facebook fan page. The Aquafresh creative team will choose the grand prize winner by July 7th!

So, what makes you a mom that works beyond? Leave your comment to be entered to win!

Participants in this giveaway must be 18 years of age or older.Contest ends on June 9th, 2010.

Please note that due to contest limitations, none of my other extra entries for giveaways are valid for this giveaway. One comment per person, please.

Good luck!

Disclaimer:I was contacted by M80 to be an Aquafresh Ambassador. In return, I'll be getting free products from Aquafresh and a $50 Walmart Gift Card. As always, receiving payment or products in exchange for a review will NEVER influence what I write in a post.

I’d like to believe that I go above and beyond as a mom by staying very active in my daughter’s school. I volunteer for activities, I participate in all events and help out in class. I am a PTA member and in general, very visible.

I have 3 children and I’ve never had anyone take care of them (other than their daddy) a day in their lives. Our families live out of state so we’ve never had any outside help. I pride myself on having been able to raise them and guide them on our own.

As far as a memorable moment, I guess the first one that comes to mind was watching my sons greet their baby sister when she was born in the hospital. They were so surprised to see that she had actually come out of my belly.

I worked overly hard just to be a mom.I fought with each of my children,ending up in the hospital with each one multiple times.I was told not to have any at all,then none after the first and so on.I was even asked to consider giving up my 2nd and 3rd after the first.I almost lost one during childbirth,one almost didn't make it to be born,and my daughter was early,barely 4 pounds,and will be small for life due to that.I risked my life to make theirs and I would do it again every day if need be.

I have strived to instill a love of reading in my children. I did not want them to miss out on the great experience of escaping in great books. Every time I see them pick up a book and read on there own I am inspired and happy!

So far the biggest challenge I've faced as a mom was when my daughter was born. We didn't know who would care for her, if both my husband & I worked. But, after thousands of dollars of hospital bills (I had a very difficult pregnancy) on top of college loans, we were not sure that we could afford to live on one income. However, we made the decision that I would be a stay at home mom, no matter how financially difficult it would be. So, over the last two years, I've had to figure out unique ways to supplement our income (i.e. mystery shopping, etc) that I could do, even when my husband was traveling. The Lord has definitely provided along the way, and our daughter has never starved or been watched by anyone besides my husband & I. ;)

Aren't they all inspiring, memorable, and testing our endurance?!? I think my most inspiring and exhausting moment was when my daughter met her brother for the first time. I was exhausted and sore and it was my first moment being a mom to two. The balancing act began in earnest at that moment!

In 2006, I retired from a 30 yr career. I was looking to a life of leisure. My daughters were grown, married and a families of their own. In early Oct my youngest called, in hysteria, her 2 yr old was in the emergency room having a grand mal seizure. These seizures continued to occur daily and I left my leisure life and move 3000 miles to help. My daughter not only had this child but 4 others under 8. This little boy needed to have hands on, all day and night. And the stress on the family was tremendous. My daughter, now, had one more adult to relive her. We followed a regimen of meds, nutritional therapy, and chiropractic medicine and 4 yrs later he is seizure free and I moved out to live my life of leisure.2 months later, this same daughter announced she was having #6. This yet to be born baby girl has a heart arrhythmia and suspicious amniotic fluid. We are all holding our breath until she is born. (Any day now) If this little girl needs more care then my daughter can handle, (along with 5 other kids), I will again leave my life of leisure.Why? Because that's what Mom's do.

While the birth of all my children was memorable, having my third (and last) baby was probably the one that most rocked my world and changed everything. He came 7 years after my middle child and wasn't planned. He is my current husband's only biological child, and he's very much united our family. Some things really are just meant to be.

i'm like every single parent, my husband and i divorced when my youngest son was 6 months old. i have raised them without any help from him. its been a hard life but staifying. my oldest graduated last night from high school and starts college on the 14th and i never been so proud that all the talks and long night has paided of with him.

I have 3 children and I've never had anyone take care of them (other than their daddy) a day in their lives. Our families live out of state so we've never had any outside help. I pride myself on having been able to raise them and guide them on our own.

I am still learning new things everyday about parenting. I have 3 children ages ranging from 4 to 12. I am a stay at home mom that does the cleaning, laundry, baths (for the little ones) and I am a taxi. I seem to spend a good deal of time trying to spend a little time with each every day and then all together. Sometimes it is really challenging to be a mom. I think that the mom role is really important because we are the ones that mostly care for the children in most cases any way.

Having my son as a single mom was hard. I had my mom and sister with me while I was in labor but I knew in my heart it wasn't the same. But I still endured and still do endure and my son is the better for it.

Many people take for granted the ability to be a mother, thus neglecting their children as the blessings they are; while so many hard working- magical moms go unrecognized. Being a mother is the hardest job any woman will ever have, and the highest paying. There is not one day that shouldn’t be cherished and celebrated for the milestone it is! I have tried for years now for a child of my own, and in my journey have realized the role of a mother is not just for those with children of their own body, but those who love and nurture children of all blood. While I may not qualify to be nominated, I am ‘nana’ to 2 wonderful children who light up my day every chance they get!

I go above and beyond my duties of parenting each day. Not only do I care for my children, but I'm a caretaket to my mom who has ALzheimers Disease. She has given her whole life caring for me and helping raise my child, so I owe it to her.Not only is it demanding, but it is rewarding to knowing I am helping others. I'm calm and patient with her as I know she can't help it . I have worked in the healthcare sysytem for many years too, so I'm constantly caring for others. It is very rewarding!! I wouldn't have it any other way.

I am stay at home mother of two sons, ages 21 and 17. I consider myself extremely lucky to have been able to be a full time Mom, especially when my kids were younger. Because I have been so blessed, I have tried to give back to my community and volunteer. I have volunteered at both of my son's schools. I have been a Room Mom, a PTA board member, I typed up the school directory twice!. I was in charge of the Pumpkin Festival, I planned the fifth grade awards breakfast. I work in the College Room at my son's High School. I have been a Cub Scout leader and a Boy Scout Leader and even went to Summer Camp three different times! I am currently the director of my son's Project Graduation for 2011. We will be planning and hosting a drug-free, alcohol-free graduation celebration for 400 High School Seniors. It will take an entire year to raise enough money to make this party a reality. I am so excited to be a part of this worthwhile project! jedoggett@embarqmail.com

For the past two years I have picked up other children along with my two who were out for summer school break and have taken them to our university were they can swim as long as they want for $3.00 in an olympic pool. All of their parents have full time jobs and I felt so sorry for the children couped up in the house till their parents came home. Needless to say it is like a suana in the pool area so sitting there is very uncomfortable to me because I am unable to swim due to a fractured hip. I would also pick up other children on Tuesdays and Thursdays who wanted to join the chess club at my son's school but had no one to take them before 8:00am on those days. tamben7996(at)aol(dot)com

I'm not a mom, but my own mom goes above and beyond...she recently spent 2 whole days with me, cleaning my house top to bottom. She gives of herself time and time again. She has also used all of her vacation this past year helping my brother and his wife by watching their 3 children.

I went beyond just getting my children into this world. I was sick the whole time I was pregnant. I swell up like a balloon from fluid retention. I suffer from gestational diabetes. My body just wasn't made for bearing children.And having made so much effort bringing them into the world, I don't let any one else take care of them. No day care, and babysitters have been only Grandma & Grandpa on very rare occasions. There has only been 3 times I've missed reading the bedtime stories & tucking them into bed, and each of those involved a hospital visit.

For years I have/do struggle with depression and bipolar. I made a vow that I try my hardest to be the best mom I could be under these circumstances. I am glad to say that my kids have grown up to be responsible wonderful people

I truly think that every mom ends up going beyond almost every day! But, my time of working beyond has been during my husband's deployments overseas with the air force. It is so hard to put aside your personal exhaustion and worries and pull yourself together to be a rock for your children. As hard as it is for the service members overseas, it is equally hard for the families left behind and the children left without parents. It was especially hard for me that my children couldn't quite understand why daddy was gone for so long but were old enough to miss him terribly. Thankfully, there are no more deployments ahead for us, but I will never forget that there are so many families right now in that situation with moms working way beyond!

As a mother, I had to do things many mothers don't. My son had a stroke at birth. I remember teaching my son to smile. I remember the first time he laughed at something funny on a video he was watching. I have watched him struggle to learn to tie his shoes, get it mastered, only to completely forget how to do it, three years later. He had to relearn it all over again. I have seen him work so hard all his life to learn things we take for granted. He worked so hard at school, it even drove his blood pressure sky high, from the stress. My proudest moment was getting to watch him graduate. I have been his mom,advocate, and his biggest supporter. It was worth the effort.twoofakind12@yahoo.com

I am a Mother of 2 girls we moved back a few yaers ago to be here for my mom and dad that were both having health issues. I am a stay at home mom since moving back and am here to help for dr.app helping out with their needs and my kids, school activities and home. My family is the most important to me and being here for them is more of a self accomplishment than i ever had with working a public job and am glad i can be here for people that may need me.

I was on the way to driving two of my three children to school. My son Joshua (6 years old at the time)said the dreaded words,"Mom I don't feel so good". I glanced in horror at the rearview mirror and tried to console him as I was driving through rush hour traffic. I said"Josh,you know we are almost at school and once you see your friends you will feel better!". As soon as I inished this sentence he promptly puked in the car. As I heard the sound my stomach lurched as well. I know ,terrible Mom. However when I pulled into the parking lot for school and turned around to console him he has a "huge smile" on his face. He says with great pride"Look Mom I caught my puke!"

My daughter who was nine at the time starts to scream at a high pitch only dogs enjoy. I told Britanny to go ahead intop school. She was more than ready to run into school. Josh and I walked into school to wash him up.He dumped the puke in the school parking lot. I prayed noone show us do it.It was really busy in the parking lot at the school. Once he washed up in the boys restroom he trotted up and said "See you after school Mom!". Here I was thinking in my head ,only a little boy of mine could catch puke in his heads and grin like he hit a home run!